HC Deb 15 March 1989 vol 149 cc224-5W
Mr. Win Griffiths

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will make it his policy to review the abatement provisions concerning school teachers' pensions in order to remove any financial disincentive for part-time work in the maintained sector after retirement; and if he will make a statement;

(2) what numbers of retired or prematurely retired school teachers are known to his Department to be working either part-time or full-time in maintained schools; and if he will make a statement;

(3) if he will describe the abatement provisions concerning teachers' pensions in the case that a retired or prematurely retired school teacher takes up part-time employment in a maintained school; when these provisions were last reviewed; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Butcher

The general principle which applies across all the public service superannuation schemes is that a re-employed pensioner should not be better off as a result of being in receipt of a pension in addition to remuneration from further service than if he or she had not retired. Where the combined pay and pension are greater than the earnings on which the pension was based, the pension is reduced by the excess.

Detailed information on re-employed teachers is not available. I understand, however, that in the year ending 31 March 1988, 302 teachers re-employed full-time and 660 teachers re-employed in a part-time capacity were considered by the Paymaster General's office under the abatement provisions.

The policy of abatement in all public service schemes is currently being reviewed. I shall write to the hon. Member to let him know the outcome in due course.

Mr. Win Griffiths

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make it his policy to encourage the possible part-time or full-time employment of retired teachers in the maintained sector; what contribution such part-time or full-time employment can make towards filling the shortages of teachers identified by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Butcher

The employment and deployment of teachers is a matter for local education authorities and schools. As part of our action programme to remedy teacher shortages we advise authorities to assess their recruitment needs and to develop a strategy for staffing their schools. The re-employment of retired teachers may in some circumstances form part of such a strategy.